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About the Journey - Group Bios - About Kenya - Journal Entries - Photographs - Home

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JOURNAL ENTRIES

August 01, 2005 | Dr. Gary Ransdell
"A key platform in WKU's strategic plan is the University's priority for internationalizing the Western Experience for students and faculty."

Note: This journal entry has been adapted from an article written by WKU President Gary Ransdell about his trip to Kenya. A full version will appear in the Winter issue of ALUMNI magazine and a version will appear in the August issue of Echo online.

A key platform in WKU’s strategic plan is the University’s priority for internationalizing the Western Experience for students and faculty. WKU engagement across the globe is important to ensure that as many WKU students as possible have meaningful interactions with other cultures, other geographies, other religions, other beliefs, and other civilizations—past and present. It is important for faculty to remain current in world affairs to ensure that teaching and research is timely and relevant in light of changing world politics and problems.

In order to be more personally engaged myself, Julie and I accompanied two members of our Biology faculty and 10 WKU students to Kenya this past summer. The faculty and students worked as they toured; Julie and I assisted and observed.

The result of these experiences, not just our Kenya experience, but also our study abroad opportunities across the globe, is an enriched academic experience at WKU. Our students better understand the significance and value of our American democracy and the unique quality of life we enjoy throughout our nation. We also come to understand the responsibility we share for helping others across the globe have a better chance to experience the things we take for granted.

READ MORE OF PRESIDENT RANSDELL’S JOURNAL

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July 13, 2005 | Robin Brotherton
"That afternoon we headed into the main village for a barazza, which means meeting."

Today started out with all of us going out in Kasigua Ranch to desnare the area. Our group consisted of members of Youth for Conservation, the Nairobi students, the WKU students and faculty, and two rangers. Poachers will tie wires around branches where the animals get caught then try to break free. As they do so, they get even more entangled causing themselves injuries. It was a lot harder to see the snares than I thought it would be. The snares blend into the surrounding and just look like twigs. 25 snares were collected.

That afternoon we headed into the main village for a barazza, which means meeting. We met with the local villages to talk about wildlife conflicts. We divided up with men sitting together and women sitting together. A group of about seven women came in and danced and sang for all of us. Allison and Dr. Ransdell got up and danced with them. Catherine even joined in.

The whole meeting was in Swahili so we were lost for the most part. We had it explained to us later. The first man that spoke said that the animals should be forced into parks to keep them out of the community. They spoke about how the animals would come in and destroy crops and kill people and there would be no compensation. The members of the Youth for Conservation spoke about how tourism can bring in money, but they want to see the animals, but that would not be possible if all the animals were fenced up in parks. One man in the community spoke about how tourists came into one community and the women ended up pregnant.

The meeting started out rough because it was obvious that the community didn't want the animals there. In the end they agreed that they would live in harmony with the animals. A majority of the community is pessimistic because people have come in before speaking of change and nothing has happened.

The meeting ended with Dr. Ransdell speaking to the community. He thanked them for having us and told them they have a beautifual community. He told them how a week ago there was a contract signed between WKU, Nairobi University, Youth for Conservation, and Kenya Wildlife Service. This contract is a partnership between these organizations to work on the human/wildlife conflicts in Kenya.

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July 12, 2005 | Natalie Jones
"As we drove past two of the five villages that comprise the region, I realized that I was getting my first glimpse of what would be my home for four of the next 12 months."

We got into Kasigau today. As we drove past two of the five villages that comprise this region, I realized that I was getting my first glimpse of what would be my home for four of the next 12 months. I will be doing my graduate thesis here and will be making two more trips here for research. We are trying to help this district develop a sustainable ecotourism-based financial plan along with much research that needs to be done, including a wildlife census for which I’ll be responsible.

Ecotourism is difficult because it’s comprised of biology, economics, anthropology, sociology, political science and conservation. What makes it especially difficult in this region is the human/wildlife conflict that plagues this area. Kasigau is located in a migration corridor between Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Parks. The abundance of wildlife causes crop damage and human injuries -- and sometimes even casualties. It will be difficult to convince this community that it is possible to benefit from the abundance of wildlife here. However, if we can help plan the ecotourism site I think that not only will the community benefit but the wildlife will as well.

It is a lofty goal and I’m anxious to get to work. I’m just getting ready to spend the first of many nights here. As I get ready for bed, I’m sure sleep will not come easily because I know I have much work to do.

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July 10, 2005 | Anna Bisig
"It started pouring rain today while we were on our tour of Fort Jesus. It was built by the Portugese in 1593 and is still an amazing place to see. "

Jestin separated from the group this morning to begin his climb of Mount Kilimanjaro. It was hard for me to see him go as everyone wished him luck. I gave him my red towel for the journey so that a little piece of Western will also see the peak. The group left Nairobi this morning and traveled to Mombasa. We have heard about the attacks in London, but we do not know any details.

The city of Mombasa looks as if it has been hit by a tornado or hurricane. Buildings are falling down or only half built or they are just sheets of scrap metal with a tarp for a roof. There are so many people here. We have seen many women dressed in black from head to toe with only a small slit for their eyes. This is a predominantly Muslim area and it is tradition for engaged women to be dressed like this.

It started pouring rain today while we were on our tour of Fort Jesus. It was built by the Portuguese in 1593 and is still an amazing place to see. We were able to go in a room that had been used for the storage of slaves for trade. It was basically a cave, small, dark and dirty. Outside of the fort we visited an area of Mombasa known as Old Town. The narrow streets there do not allow for cars. As we came upon a Mosque we could hear faint voices. We walked closer and the chants of children praying echoed between the buildings like a soft song.

It is night now and we have finished dinner and our nightly discussion on our ideas for improving the plight of the Kenyan people, while conserving what is left of the country's biodiversity. Our major frustration is the corruption of high officials and their apathy towards the population as a whole. Here, money disappears before it goes where it is supposed to, for example, water purification. If basic needs of the communities are not met, and they care more about survival than wildlife, how does this country expect to sustain ecotourism? Everything here is about politics. We may think the same thing about America, but here it is on an unimaginable level. READ ANNA'S JOURNAL

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July 10, 2005 | Natalie Jones
"It was overall one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life. "

Impala Mass Capture

In South Africa the buying and trading of game species is big business. So in turn the trapping and transport of those species is also big business. We have been learning from a top professional in the field, Andre Pesler. Today we did a mass capture of impala using a boma and a helicopter.

A boma is a funnel shaped trap like structure made of heavy duty tarp reinforced with metal poles and rope. Inside the boma there were four sections, each progressively smaller and separated by a series of up to 11 curtains. We were all stationed at different curtains, well hid, and then the chopper was up. It pushed the herd towards the mouth of the boma. Then the alarm sounded and we knew the impala were on their way. Fifty to sixty rushed by in a wave of panic and next André runs by screaming “vala, vala” meaning close, close. Then we ran the curtains together as quickly as possible, each time trapping the herd in a smaller more manageable section. In the last very tight section the ram’s horns were capped and they were given a mild tranquilizer. The herd was then transported to a new site.

It was overall one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life. Impala thundering past at high speeds from every direction is thrilling. They jumped all around, trying to get over or under every curtain, one just barely clearing my head. The adrenaline was pumping through all of us for hours. A lot of care and planning went into today. It’s a major part of South Africa’s wild life management strategy and I’m glad we got the chance to participate in the action.

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July 09, 2005 | Dr. Doug McElroy | Maasai Mara Game Reserve
"Heard a leopard outside the camp last night around 4 a.m. Sounded like a small catfight. "

Heard a leopard outside the camp last night around 4 am.  Sounded like a small catfight. Spent the morning on a game drive through the Reserve.  Lots of elephants, zebra, topi and African buffalo.  In addition, we saw a pack of hyena and some mongoose (both of which were firsts for me).  Saw another pride of lions - two for two.  Spent some time haggling with the Maasai traders outside the gate - we got some good stuff at fair prices, but it's always a bit exhausting. 

There are no absolutes, and you are instantly surrounded by people thrusting bracelets, blankets, and other tokens into your hands.  Surprisingly, it actually gets to be fun after awhile. At noon we left for the drive back to Nairobi.  The Rift Valley is always spectacular, and my favorite party of the trip.

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July 08, 2005 | Allison Harnish
"All that lied between myself and the lions last night was my sleeping bag, a thin sheet of nylon and about half a mile of Kenyan terrain. "

The group woke up bright and early this morning to eggs, pancakes, sausage, and another beautiful day on the Maasai plains. What a night. Following a delicious spaghetti dinner the students stayed up to converse around the campfire with our two Maasai Moran guardians under a starlit sky, the melodious bellows of lions, hyenas, mongoose and jackals plainly audible in the distance. How thrilling and wonderful—all that lied between myself and the lions last night was my sleeping bag, a thin sheet of nylon and about half a mile of Kenyan terrain; no fences, just Africa.

After breakfast the warriors led us to their village, stopping frequently along the way to point out animal tracks or identify unique plants. As we closed in on the manyatta we stirred up a band of Thompson's gazelle who had been resting in the grass beside us. The galloped swiftly and lightly over the hill before us like feathery white dandelion seeds floating gracefully out of sight after a strong gust of wind.

In the village we were greeted promptly by two older women dressed in traditional Maasai attire: their hair cut short, their necks adorned with multicolored beads, their shoulders wrapped in red wool blankets, their stretched earlobes supporting long strands of colorful plastic beads and their thin wrists wrapped with thick Maasai bracelets. Several children also stumbled out of the mud, stick and cow dung homes as we made our way into the manyatta (village). As is custom, they scurried over to us and bowed their heads so we could say hello in the Maasai way—by placing our hands atop their heads to bless them as we said "Sopa." Within minutes more women had arrived. The men watched from afar, and the children, having been ushered into a clump against a wall sang curiously to us as we took their photos.

As intriguing as the experience was, I couldn't help but feel somewhat awkward. Although everyone appeared excited about having us as guests, I had a sneaking suspicion they were only welcoming us because they felt obligated to do so. After all, we had paid to stay on their land and we made a donation to their community. Many of us also bought some of the jewelry the women had made. However proud and willing the Maasai are to share their culture, they (along with most Africans of other tribes) are all too willing to please outsiders, especially outsiders who give them money. This makes it extremely difficult to assess the peoples' true position on certain issues.

After saying our goodbyes to the Maasia and taking another long bumpy ride, we made it to the Mara for an evening game drive. Along the wavy yellow plains that seemed to melt into the marshmallow clouds, we managed to spot a wide array of wildlife including: Grant's gazelle, Thompson's gazelle, topi, hartibeast, impala, warthog, cape buffalo, secretary bird, vulture, stork, waddled plover, Egyptian geese, lilac breasted roller, tawny eagle, perigreo falcon, lion, jackal, elephant, cheetah, and wildebeest.

Even after all we've done, we still have three weeks left to go and much more to do.

READ ALLISON'S JOURNAL

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July 08, 2005 | Dr. Doug McElroy | Olenganaiyo Maasai village; Maasai Mara Game Reserve
"We count on the Massai, with their spears and experience to keep us safe."

 Heard a pride of lions roaring as we went to sleep.  The Maasai guarding the camp said they were likely a kilometer or so away, but they sounded like they could have been just outside the camp.  It's both exciting and a little bit off-putting at the same time.  We count on the Maasai, with their spears and experience to keep us safe.  Chet got some audio recordings which should be good.

Spent the morning in a traditional Maasai manyatta (village).  We were allowed to meet members of the community, visit their homes, and learn about their traditions and their way of life.  The children were especially interested in seeing themselves on the digital cameras.  It's almost unbelievable to think that, throughout the world, there are tremendous numbers of people who maintain traditional lifestyles, virtually separate from the world we know.  It puts our worries and priorities into perspective, and makes things like time pressures, bills, and cell phone minutes seem pretty trivial.

Travelled to the Maasai Mara Game Reserve and spent the afternoon on a game drive.  Saw a great pride of lions feeding on a wildebeest.  We were within about 20 feet of them for about a half and hour.  One male made several ambling trips around the vans.  We also saw a cheetah (a first for me), though for much of the time it was almost perfectly camouflaged in the high grass.  The Mara is much greener than mlast year, nut the migration has not yet reached it.

Got some great shots of a secretary bird, a large ground-feedeing bird that preys on snakes.  Also saw the standard impala, gazelles, buffalo, topi, and elephant.  The Mara never disappoints.

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July 07, 2005 | Dr. Doug McElroy | Near Kisumu, on the shores of Lake Victoria
"Camped last night overlooking Lake Victoria. The view was astounding."

Camped last night overlooking Lake Victoria.  The view was astounding.  Heard a hyena laughing in the night, pretty close by.  We also suffered through a tremendous thunderstorm, which I and others had previously claimed would end up being nothing more than heat lightning.  As the Kisumu natives also claimed the rising 40 mph wind and cooling tempereatures meant it WOULDN'T rain, I didn't feel too bad.  Nevertheless, I've been reminded of it at least 8 times today, so I wasn't completely vindicated.

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July 07, 2005 | Julie Ransdell
"As we all returned to our tents for the night, we had a beautiful show of lightning with rain to follow."

We had breakfast in Kisumu and boarded a bus to Lake Victoria, the second largest lake in surface area in the world and the source of the Nile River. We met with officials of the KSNRI to engage in lectures and discussions on the ecology problems of the lake and the impact on the local economy.

In the afternoon we cruised the lake and headed for an island called Kiboko which means hippo in Swahili. There are 52 huts with fishing and agriculture as a means of income. We had a picnic lunch, met the people, saw their homes and identified wildlife and plant life.

The final stop of the day was a Kenyan home on the shores of Lake Victoria. We climbed the hill to the home and enjoyed a spectacular view. We were greeted with steaming hot porridge, herbs and gourds. We set up our campsite. The family was kind enough to provide a traditional Kenyan meal of omena (little fish), uru (quail), aliya (beef), oeambo (dried tilapia), ngege (fresh tilapia), dek and mpo (greens). All the food was cooked and served in large clay pots.

As we all returned to our tents for the night, we had a beautiful show of lightning with rain to follow.

An interesting fact from this part of the world: We are almost right on the equator so dawn is at 630 a.m. with dusk at 6:30 p.m. every day.

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July 05, 2005 | Allison Harnish
"Before coming on this trip, someone told me that Africa would change me forever. I've hardly been in the Dark Continent a week and already I've found that statement to be true."

Today was a travel day. Although the distance between cities is not that great, the drive from Nairobi to Kisumu took somewhere around nine hours, the roads are in that bad of shape. Pothole after pothole, detour after detour, it was a bumpy ride but not an unpleasant one. After three and a half days in Nairobi, it was nice to escape the soot and smog and see a bit of the Kenyan countryside. From museums and skyscrapers to sheet metal houses and straw thatched roofs to open fields and water holes speckled with zebra, impala and pink flamingo, we managed to see a wide variety of African terrain. Between cities we traveled through rice patties and tea plantations and stopped to admire the view of the Kenyan Rift Valley. Along the way we traveled through several small towns and got a better glimpse of what life is like in the developing world. Passing from a village where the locals eat lots of rice and use donkeys as their major mode of transportation to an area where everyone rides bicycles (or bodabodas) and depends on fish for sustenance also gave us students a peek at the cultural diversity that exists in this country.

One consistency I noticed with all the places we've passed through is the number of children. Right now, approximately sixty percent of Kenya's population is under the age of eighteen, and it shows. Girls in school uniforms, boys playing soccer, mothers carrying infants on their backs, kids carrying baskets on their heads, kids swinging from trees, kids herding livestock and pushing bike tires down the dirt sidewalks, children are everywhere here. In just ten years, Kenya's population has doubled. I worry about what another ten years will do. I worry more about how families so poor can afford to feed all these children. One would think the abundant poverty and crowded conditions would irritate the Kenyans making them insensitive and inhospitable. On the contrary, we have encountered no unfriendly faces so far. Observing the people as they interact in the markets or hang out on the roadsides to watch the world go by, they seem to have a very tightly knit community. People smile or wave at us as we drive past, especially children; they go so far as to chase the bus giggling and shouting happy Swahili jibberish. It was worth the long drive just to see the satisfaction on our students' faces as they hang out the bus windows waving back to women and children while gleefully shouting "Jambo!"

It's a strange feeling when as a minority and a foreigner, I am greeted regularly with such sincerity and enthusiasm. Before coming on thistrip, someone told me that Africa would change me forever. I've hardly been in the Dark Continent a week and already I've found that statement to be true. READ ALLISON'S JOURNAL

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July 05, 2005 | Dr. Doug McElroy
"We spent the afternoon at Kakamega Forest Reserve, the only patch of tropical rain forest left in Kenya."

As the students traveled from Nairobi to Kisumu via road, we flew to Kisumu. The view of Lake Victoria as we landed was well worth the flight. It’s the second largest lake in the world, and it shows.

We spent the afternoon at Kakamega Forest Reserve, the only patch of tropical rain forest left in Kenya. It was incredible. We saw hornbills, colobus monkeys, and some amazing teak trees. Never before seen anything like this habitat. Tomorrow we sail on the lake.

 

READ DR. MCELROY'S JOURNAL

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"Everyone is safe. Eating well and learning much."
July 05, 2005 | President Gary Ransdell

Julie and I are enjoying being with our students, the McElroys and the Stokes, and the people and animals of Africa.  Great photos.  New friends at the University of Nairobi.  Everyone is safe. Eating well and learning much.  All the best.

We signed the agreement yesterday with the University of Nairobi. We have a senior member of their Department of Physiology with us for the duration of our trip. He will be spending the fall semester with us at WKU.

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"We got to eat a few exotic animals like crocodile, camel and ostrich."
July 04, 2005 | Matt Ransdell

Happy 4th of July from Nairobi. This was my first 4 th of July out of the country; no fireworks, but I'd rather be here right now anyway. Today was a very academic oriented day. We went to the University of Nairobi for one workshop and three presentations. The workshop was first. Dr. Stokes did the workshop on GPS (Global Positioning System). Attending this, along with us, were five University of Nairobi students and a small group from Youth For Conservation. The purpose of this workshop was to teach the students and YFC how to use the system in their de-snaring projects. The global positioning units get signals from satellites that tell you precisely where you are, and create your path traveled so that someone else can travel the exact same path later. We donated the units to YFC as well. The three presentations were from a University of Nairobi professor and two University of Nairobi graduate students. Dr. Kimwele gave his on the illegal bushmeat market and how to identify the meat so that the trade can be stopped. Mrs. Arun did her presentation on Lake Victoria fish population, and how introduced exotic species are overtaking the indigenous species. Patrick Ogola did the last presentation. He talked about elephant conservation and transportation.

After we left the University of Nairobi we went back to the hotel to get our stuff ready for our journey to Kisumu tomorrow. After we got out bags ready to go we went out as one big group to eat an Independence Day dinner at a restaurant called Carnivore. Carnivore has been ranked as a top 50 restaurant in the world at one time. It is all you can eat meat. We got to eat a few exotic animals like crocodile, camel, and ostrich. All three are excellent by the way. My personal favorite was ostrich. We also ate lamb, pork, beef, and chicken. The food was outstanding and the atmosphere was great. The waiters came around with huge things of meat on rods and sliced it off with a giant machete—it was cool. It was an Independence Day dinner to remember.

Tomorrow morning we are off to Lake Victoria and Kisumu.

READ MATT'S JOURNAL

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July 04, 2005 | Dr. Doug McElroy
"We met with the deputy vice-chancellor of University of Nairobi."

We met with the deputy vice-chancellor of University of Nairobi. He and President Ransdell signed a Memorandum of Understanding formalizing the partnership between our two schools. After that the students went to a number of workshops and lectures. As for me, I spent the day dealing with logistics, and not very successfully. There's always a day like this somewhere in the trip -- hopefully this was it.

We had dinner at the world famous Carnivore Restaurant. Tried ostrich, crocodile, and camel in addition to the standard beef, lamb, pork and chicken. Not a menu for vegetarians. READ DR. MCELROY'S JOURNAL

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"We saw eland, rhinoceroses, ostrich, hartebeest, dozens of giraffe, baboons and so many others that it's hard to remember them all. "
July 03, 2005 | Bradley Smith

The day started off like so many others: wake up early, eat a rushed breakfast and slip through the muddled traffic of an urban center toward the National Park that borders the largest city in the country. You know the usual stuff. Only in Kenya though, my friends!

Anyway, our trip. We went to Nairobi National park today with Dr. Kimwele and his daughter and four students from the University of Nairobi, some representatives from Youth for Conservation, and our guide from the Museum Rosalie. As we pulled up Dr. Kimwele told us some of the history of the park as well as some of his own adventures from the area. Our bus approached the gate with its armed guards and a hush of anticipation flowed through all of us. We were about to get our first taste of the wild Kenya. The gates opened and the big blue bus rolled on through . . .

And what an experience it was! We saw eland, rhinoceroses, ostrich, hartebeest, dozens of giraffe, baboons and so many others that it's hard to remember them all. One of the memories that stand in my mind was when we stopped on the edge of a ravine to look out on a small valley. At this same spot last year our van broke down and we had to trudge up the road a bit and wait for our guide to get it up the hill leading there. Then, when we got to the top we were confronted by a troop of baboons! They left us alone and we left them alone so all was well. This year there were, at first, no baboons to be seen. The view was still spectacular. As we were making our way back to the bus however, lo and behold but what should we see but a huge male baboon hiding behind a stand of bushes not 20 feet from our bus! We stayed a bit longer, he called his troop to us and then we made our way back onto the bus. As unassuming as they may look in pictures, one doesn't want to get in a tussle with a baboon.

Sadly we had to leave the park at some point. We made our way to Kitengale for a late lunch of nyama choma, which in Swahili means roasted meat. Let me tell you comrades, it was a fantastic feast of fun and friendship! Maybe not as cheesy as that but we all got a chance to sit around and talk about the park and what we thought of it.

When we got back into Nairobi we had a bit of time before we went to Dr. Kimwele's house. A few of us walked around the city for a bit, taking in some of the sights and looking for a good place to eat if ever we should need one. After a bit of that we made our way down to the Hotel Boulevard and then to the Kimwele’s. There we had dinner and our first discussion. Pam, Dr. Kimwele's wife, is a fantastic cook, though I did make my clumsy self known by dropping and smashing a plate. Such is the life of a klutz. Our discussion was a comparison of South African and Kenyan parks. We really didn’t come to a conclusion about which is better though it was interesting to see everyone’s perspectives on the issue.

And after that we went to bed. Laying there it was hard to believe I was back in Kenya. How many people have the great luck of being able to have a once in a lifetime experience twice?

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July 03, 2005 | Dr. Doug McElroy
"We took a safari through Nairobi National Park."

We took a safari through Nairobi National Park. Lots of giraffe, and a few rhino, wildebeest and eland. Still, it was our first taste of wildlife roaming free. We had lunch at a nyama choma place in Kitengela. We feasted on roasted goat and irio. READ DR. MCELROY'S JOURNAL

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July 02, 2005 | Dr. Doug McElroy
"It's not often you have a giraffe taking food out of your hand, or as many people did, your mouth."

We visited the national museums of Kenya, and toured the ethnography and human origins exhibits. We saw the paintings of Joy Adamson and the hominid skulls uncovered by Richard and Maeve Leakey at Koobi Fora near Lake Turkana.

We then went to the giraffe center, where there is a breeding program for the endangered Rothschild's giraffe. It's not often you have a giraffe taking food out of your hand or, as many people did, your mouth. Some of these pictures ay never see the light of day...

The highlight of the day was a tour of the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. The Trust raises orphaned baby elephants to the point that they can be reintroduced into the wild. It’s not a simple task, as it involves 24-hour bonding between keepers and elephants for about two years. The baby elephants are so affectionate -- they like to suck on your hand (luckily, they don't yet have teeth). We were fortunate to meet the founder and world famous conservationist, Daphne Sheldrick. She has a PBS special coming to the U.S. in March, so we'll be sure to watch.

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July 02, 2005 | Maggie Mahan
"Today I had one of the most memorable days of my life."

Today I had one of the most memorable days of my life. To start off with we all went to the Nairobi National museum. There we enjoyed seeing the Joy Adamson collection of tribal portraits, the Leaky family’s exhibit of human remains, and many beautiful pieces from all of the native tribes. We had been reading Richard Leaky’s Wildlife Wars, so to finally be able to see a part of his family’s legacy was amazing. I especially enjoyed seeing the Joy Adamson collection. I have read Living Free, and admired her and her husband’s life work. We also visited the educational snake park, which is also a part of the museum.

Next we were taken to the AFEW Giraffe Center, where we were privileged enough to pet and feed the giraffes. Most of us were even kissed by the giraffes, by tempting them with food of course. I had seen the Nature program on Giraffe Manor and never thought I would ever get the chance to actually visit this wonderful place. We had captured a giraffe in South Africa, so it was nice to play with them in a different setting.

The last and most amazing part of the day, took place at the Daphne Sheldrick Trust. This wonderful set up is within Nairobi National Park, which is also very beautiful.

I had been waiting for this moment for many months. This courageous group of people takes in orphaned African elephants and black rhinos. Most are orphaned due to poaching or illness. While we visited there were five resident elephants, one baby rhino, and one juvenile rhino. The juvenile rhino came in while we waited for the elephants and we all sat in amazement as he passed so gracefully by. The elephants finally came in with there keepers, who stay with them at every moment of the day. They go on long walks through the national park, to keep them used to their natural environment. They feed and sleep with the elephants in their corals. The orphans are allowed to interact with other wild elephants, who teach them how to be an elephant. They stay at the trust until the age of two years and then are translocated to Tsavo National Park for the second round of rehabitualization. Here they are introduced into a herd where they create the bonds they need.

We were all privileged enough to touch and feel the elephants and baby rhino through the fencing. I played with the baby rhino for a while as he lipped and my fingers. Then he went to his food area and scooped up a large clump of hay and brought it back to me to play with. It was so cute to how and what he wanted to play with. After a while of this I moved back to a special little elephant name Mojumbo, who I will never forget. This young man stole my heart the first time is dopey little trunk locked around my arm. It took a little bit for him to trust me and then he just wanted nothing but for me to give him my hand to suckle on and to rub his rump. He switched between the two activities for a while. This was probably one of the most amazing events of my life. To have an elephant orphaned by unspeakably inhumane people, trust me, a complete stranger was beautiful. Thankfully Dr. Ransdell took many photos for me as keepsakes that I will treasure for ever.

One of our students left after the South Africa course. So please indulge us in a personal correspondence:

Hey Laura!

We all just wanted to say hello! Kenya has been a great experience and we wish you were here with us. Hope all is well in Owensboro and that you had a good flight home! The crew from South Africa has kept you in our minds and we’re looking forward to seeing you soon when we get back to the states. Just wanted to let you know that you are missed!

Take Care,
All of us

READ MAGGIE'S JOURNAL

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July 01, 2005 | Dr. Doug McElroy
"We flew over the Sahara Desert across Libya and Sudan for at least three hours."

We arrived in Nairobi at 9 p.m. The trip was not too bad. We flew over the Sahara Desert across Libya and Sudan for at least three hours -- it was barren but extremely impressive. We saw the Nile River and the Darfur mountains. It's nice to be back in familiar but exotic surroundings.

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June 27, 2005 | Jestin Clark
"You read a lot of stuff in books but it doesn't mean much unless you can apply it."

Yesterday (June 26) we went to a cape buffalo breeding facility. Basically what they do there is raise buffalo and sell them to game ranchers. The buffalo are used to stock the ranches for hunters to come in and hunt buffalo. Hunting is a big business over here and drives a lot of the economy. A lot of the jobs and money come from outside sources, including the United States, to hunt big game animals. It’s big business to raise animals and sell to the ranchers. This was really the management end of wildlife management.

We were helping them separate the animals by age class. We were working with some of the younger buffalo that were less than year old and weighed 75 to 100 pounds. We also worked with some larger ones too that were 18 months old. We used ear tags to identify them with numbers much like domestic cattle in the U.S. We also implanted electronic microchips under the skin. We used a syringe with microchip about the size of a piece of rice to implant under their skin. The microchip is read with a scanner and is another way to identify the buffalo.

We had to restrain the buffalo and hold them down. A couple of people would come in and do the ear tag and microchip. These animals are incredibly strong; two or three times stronger than equivalent sized domestic cow. It takes two or three people to hold a 75-pound buffalo. These animals can grow to 1,500 or 2,200 pounds. We were dealing with the younger ones; you can’t handle the larger ones without sedating them. We tranquilized the larger ones to make them groggy.

This is really the applied aspect of this whole wildlife management thing. It’s work. You read a lot of stuff in books but it doesn’t mean much unless you can apply it. This was an aspect of wildlife management that people don’t think about. I actually enjoy the physical aspects of this kind of work.

We handled about 30 buffalo and that was a whole’s day work right there. We were busy all day long. By end of the day everyone was exhausted and covered in dust and manure. We were ready for a shower and a good night’s sleep. I was sore but I had a good time getting sore.

I will be traveling with the Kenya group for their first week then I will travel to Tanzania and climb Mount Kilimanjaro.

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June 24, 2005 | Dr. Doug McElroy
"Everybody has a role and a special contribution to make on this trip."

No adverse effects of the anti-malarial. "The ones that Mother gives you – Don’t do anything at all…"

Kate emailed me today, saying she's excited about the trip and that she "feels like royalty." It was cute. The girls have been pretty calm about the whole thing, so I'm glad to know they're excited. Both Kate and Katherine have read the book Facing the Lion, about a boy growing up Maasai. I think that will help them appreciate what they see even more, and it will also give them some knowledge that no one else on the trip will have – they will be the experts on the Maasai lifestyle. Everybody has a role and a special contribution to make on this trip.

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June 23, 2005 | Day 5 in South Africa | Maggie Mahan
"We saw the boomslang, which is the number 1 most venomous snake in all of Africa. It’s rarely encountered."

We visited the Swandini Reptile Center, which I was very excited about because most of the snakes I’m interested in are from Africa. It was pretty interesting. The main snake I wanted to see was the Gaboon viper; it’s very beautiful and the scales look like a butterfly, very soft and shimmery.

We got to see crocodiles and mambas and the Gaboon viper. We saw some cobras. We were able to watch some green mambas eat some prey and see how their venom works. They had a few rattlesnakes and copperheads and an alligator snapping turtle. We saw the boomslang, which is the number 1 most venomous snake in all of Africa. It’s rarely encountered.

They had a boa and a few snakes that were sick or had been mistreated; they had taken them in to use as educational tools. I helped the tour guide hold the boa and we were able to wash his mouth out because he had mouth rot. We were able to see a green mamba which had a pretty big cyst in her abdomen. We got to feel the cyst while the tour guide held the snake.

We had quite the hand-ons experience with the snakes. This place is exceptional. A lot of people here are fearful of the snakes because of myths and lore. What the center does is educate the locals as much as possible. I asked the guide if they had started to see a positive response and they have. People are still afraid of them but they are tending the respect the snakes more.

We saw a baboon tarantula and a flat rock scorpion. I’m kind of arachnophobic but I was able to give it a shot. The scorpion actually worried me more than the tarantula. But both were very gentle.

They gave us a slide show about reptiles and amphibians, explained the native snakes and their fang positions, and how to tell a nocturnal (nighttime) snake from a diurnal (daytime) snake. It was very interesting.

They also had a tank full of black mambas, which are very long and have a smooth gray color. The black mamba is probably one of the most feared snakes in Africa.

They took us to a pit where the tour guide got in there with 15 different venomous snakes. He showed a cobra to us and explained how it will stand up and show its hood and hiss and how the cobra will follow movement and not noise like the snake charmers. He showed us the puff adder which moves different from a regular snake. They inch along like a caterpillar would and they have little stripes on them so they look like a caterpillar moving. Right now the puff adder is my second favorite snake. They are absolutely gorgeous. But I very much enjoy the Gaboon viper.

Other than that we looked at lots of other snakes and discussed a few of their striking tactics and how they move. Robin Brotherton and I enjoyed the reptile center. We love snakes and both take care of snakes at Western. So it was very enjoyable and very interesting.

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June 23, 2005 | Dr. Doug McElroy
"Started our anti-malarial series today."

Started our anti-malarial series today. The first time using this drug – we’ll see about those vivid dreams some people get.

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June 22, 2005 | Dr. Doug McElroy
"Picked up the travel advance today."

Picked up the travel advance today. Need to wire Frank some money on Monday. Off to Burlington, VT for a 4 day conference – not the best timing, but we’re pretty well organized at home, so it shouldn’t be a big problem. All but one student has their discussion materials in, and I should get his on Monday.

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June 21, 2005 | Natalie Jones
"The tour began and I quickly developed a lump in my throat and chills up my spine."

Since the planning for this trip began, I'd been anticipating the visit to the Moholoholo rehabilitation facility. I knew that there I would have the opportunity to see many of South Africa's most well known species up close, including my favorite, the highly endangered wild dog.
   
"First things first"...we were greeted by the charasmatic personality of Brian Jones (no relation) and treated to a "from the pulpit" style presentation on the plight of South Africa's wildlife. He was quick to place blame some correctly, some not, but NEVER directed toward the hunting industry. I found myself wondering how an operation can hold two such contradictory ideals as "hunting is good" and "rehab is necessary." On one hand they see hunting as a positive money maker for the country and on the other they capture and treat the injured and orphaned animals thay result from the practice. I couldn't reconcile this complete paradox and now find myself awake late, attempting to do so.
   
The tour began and I quickly developed a lump in my throat and chills up my spine. We were so close to the species Africa is best known for, lion, leopard, cheetah, birds of prey (that dwarf the American versions) and many vultures. Their size and beauty can NEVER be fully appreciated on TV or in pictures.

Big Boy was one of the lions on the property and he was magnificent! His roar was deafening. He had been hand raised and as a result was too dangerous to re-release. He had lost ALL fear of humans and was very unpredictable. In fact most of the animals at Moholoholo
will never be released back into the wild. They have lost their hunting skills or have become too accustomed to humans.

I will never forget this day! It was a REAL educational experience. It's extremely important to understand all the differing viewpoints when looking at wildlife conservation or management. Today I saw a series of problems and a series of solutions. Hopefully somewhere
between all the debates and rhetoric surrounding South Africa's wildlife, a real, sustainable conservation strategy can be developed
that benefits the country, the people and the wildlife.

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Read in the Daily Nation that Kenya is about to embark on an ambitious elephant translocation project (400 from Shimba Hills to Tsavo), so have emailed Nguli to see if we can get involved. Got Allison's survey questions translated into Kiswahili today, so the HSRB approval should be imminent.

Still pursuing funding for this year—we hope to be able to have enough $$ to maximize participation by UoN students, but will likely have to cut back on that for the first week of the trip. Our students are really excited about both S. Africa and Kenya—Doug and I have worked on this well past the point of excitement. Being there will be restful compared to the prep work. Am still trying to get plane receipts from some of the students.